NHL.com Compares Rangers to a Doughnut

Earlier Today, the NHL official website released an article (click for story) that took a look at every Eastern Conference team's major question going into the 2009-10 season. For the Rangers, they obviously feel it is the center for Marian Gaborik, as they compared the Rangers to a Tim Horton's doughnut, both have a hole in the middle.

Here is the quote: "Who will fill the hole in the middle? What do the Rangers and the doughnuts at Tim Horton's (a new arrival in the Big Apple) have in common? A hole in the middle -- in the Rangers' case, that means the absence of a No. 1 center. With Scott Gomez gone to Montreal and high-scoring but oft-injured winger Marian Gaborik signed from Minnesota, the Rangers now have a winger who can put the puck in the net but no one who resembles a No. 1 center who can get him the puck -- and are tight enough against the cap that they likely won't be able to deal for one unless they're willing to give up some young talent."

Hilarious (Maybe in a toddler's eyes). The Rangers are far from having a "hole" in the middle, as they hold many capable centers on this current roster. Drury, Dubinsky, Prospal, and Higgins can all play the center position, and so can rookie Artem Anisimov. So that is five options that the Blueshirt coaching staff will have when it comes to finding Gaborik a center. Yes, they may not be the most talented at their position, but is far from having a "hole" up the middle.

Ranger Players Hold Scrimmage, Paul Kelly Fired, Ask the Blueshirts a Question

Okay, so finally some action in the hockey world this afternoon, and now that I have the time, I decided to put it all into one post for you.

First off, Zipay was at the Rangers Practice Facility today, and other than interviewing Brandon Dubinsky (See Below Post), he mentioned that a group of Ranger players conducted their own scrimmage, without coaches, as coaches are not allowed to be there just yet. These players included; Marc Staal, Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Dan Girardi, Bobby Sanguinetti, Matt Gilroy, Corey Potter, Michael Del Zotto, Ilkka Heikkinen, Marian Gaborik, Chris Higgins, Donald Brashear, Ryan Callahan, Evgeny Grachev, Pat Rissmiller, Brodie Dupont, Andres Ambuhl, Brian Boyle, Enver Lisin, Jordan Owens, Dane Byers, and Wolfpack Goalie, Matt Zaba.

Lundqvist, Valiquette, Drury, Prospal, Kotalik, and Avery are expected to make an appearance later this week.

I think it is great that these players held their own scrimmage, as you do not usually hear of things like that when coaches are not present. This means that those specific players are committed and ready for the NHL season to begin, and for us fans, it means that hockey is finally back. You can read Zip's full story HERE.

In NHL news, the Player's Association elected to fire executive director Paul Kelly after only two years on the job. Supposedly Kelly was too loyal to Commissioner Gary Bettman, and that is not what the players would like to see. They want someone that is going to fight for their rights, and move them in the direction that they prefer. In my opinion, this move has to wave some red flags in Gary Bettman's face, because if they hire a replacement that is really going to push for what they players in this league want, it would not surprise me if there was another strike/lockout. Read the full story on TSN.

One last thing, the Rangers Official Website is holding a session where fans can submit questions to Drury, and most of the new acquisitions. Fans will submit their questions, and then a portion of them will be selected to be answered by the players. Read all about this HERE.

Dubinsky Wants to be a Ranger

In a recent interview with Steve Zipay of Blue Notes, Brandon Dubinsky said he wants to be a Ranger, and that he believes he will be re-signed in the near future, as the much talked about deal will finally get done.

Here is a quote from the article: "I want to be a Ranger," said Dubinsky, 23, still an unsigned, restricted free agent. "The Rangers want me here; something's gonna get done real quick and this will all be an afterthought. I'm in here working hard, getting ready for the season, not worrying about that; everything falls into place eventually, so I'm not losing any sleep over it. Obviously there's been a lot of speculation and stuff, but I know where we're at and where we're gonna be…It might be 12 days away from camp, but 12 days is a long time, you can have a lot of conversations in 12 days, it only takes one." Click to read entire story

This is a great sign, and confirms, in my mind anyway, that Brandon is not the one holding up the re-signing.

I will have more in a bit.....

Trading for Heatley Would Be a Mistake

As we approach the month of September, two and a half months after Dany Heatley, 28, requested a trade out of Ottawa, Senators General Manager, Bryan Murray's time is running out to trade his star winger. In late June/Early July, Glen Sather and the Rangers made a push for Dany Heatley, but Sather quickly took his offer off of the table when Murray demanded Marc Staal and Brandon Dubinsky. Soon after that, Murray had a deal with the Edmonton Oilers to send Heater their way, and all Heatley had to do was approve the trade as he has a No Trade Clause within his contract. As we know, Heatley rejected the trade, and did not want to play in Edmonton. So he was finally granted the opportunity to get out of Ottawa, and he rejected it.

Recently, Heatley was forced to face the media, and explain his reasoning of why he wanted out of Ottawa. Here is a portion of what he said courtesy of TSN:

"When I signed in Ottawa two years ago, I felt it was to be an integral part of the team," Heatley said. "Over the last two years and more recently over the past year, I feel my role was diminished. This past season, it diminished a lot more."

Seriously Dany? A diminished role? The only downgrade Heatley has experienced in his past years with the Senators was that he was moved from the first powerplay unit, to the second powerplay unit. Besides that, he has consistently played on the Sens' first line with two very skilled players in Spezza and Alfredsson, he is still Assistant Captain of the team, and is always put onto the ice in those clutch situations where the Senators need a goal. I do not see how he has a diminished role.

Knowing that Murray is running out of time, Ranger fans have recently been playing with the idea of bringing Heatley here, to New York. Well, the idea has only crossed my mind once, and that was in late June. Now, after Heatley has stated his reason for wanting to be traded, I have lost all respect for the guy, and trading away any of our players is not worth the garbage attitude that Heater brings with him.

Do not get me wrong, I am fully aware of the talent that Heatley holds, but when a player signs with a team long-term, and then quickly changes their opinion of the city, and turns on them, it immediately waves red flags, especially when you look at Heatley's past.

Let me remind you that this is not the first time Heatley has requested a trade. After the tragic car accident while playing in Atlanta, Dany requested to be traded from the Thrashers as the emotion of playing there was simply too much for him to handle. The fans in Atlanta were not very high on this decision, but in that situation, I fully understand why Heatley would want to be traded. But now, in his situation with the Ottawa Senators, his actions are nothing but complete selfishness.

I am not saying that I have any inside information on this situation, as few actually do, but based on what I know, this is an act of selfishness from the star winger. We do not know what went on behind closed doors, but despite that, a professional athlete should be able to handle the situation, and not cry about it like Heatley has this summer.

After what Heatley has done, Murray basically must trade him away. If Heatley comes back to play with Ottawa, it will be too much of a distraction for management, players, and fans. I am sure that the fans have turned on Heater and the Senator players will not look upon Dany as a team player, making it a very complicated situation. If he thinks his role is diminished now, one could only imagine the diminishing his role will receive after turning his back on the team.

Now to look at the situation from a Rangers standpoint. If the Rangers were to trade for Heatley, they would undoubtedly be giving up one of Marc Staal or Brandon Dubinsky, possibly both. To loose those players, who are key parts to our future is not worth it for Heatley. What if Heatley comes here and wants out of New York? First off, Sather and Torts would not stand for an immature act like that, and secondly, you just wasted two youngsters that had promise.

In my opinion, and I know many will disagree, any way you look at it, trading for Heatley at this point would be a big mistake, but I would not count it out, as Sather is yet to re-sign Dubinsky, and that says something. Nobody can use the excuse that it is just taking long, as it is now September, less than two weeks from training camp, so there is no doubt in my mind that Sather tried to trade Dubinsky this summer, and maybe still is, but that discussion is for another time.

If Sather wants to invest his time in making a big trade, it would be more wise to do so if the Blueshirts would be acquiring a first line center in return, and even that would be an ignorant move at this point. Just stay the course, and let things play themselves out, and if they cannot find a center for Gaborik on the current roster, which, again, is highly unlikely, then make a move during the season or at the deadline, but Sather needs to give it a chance first.

(Image courtesy of AP Photo)

Blog Pace/ August Poll

I know the pace of the blog has slowed a bit in the last week with only one post per day, but that is due to some "behind the scenes" work I have been doing for the blog, which will provide the best possible experience for readers of the blog in the upcoming season. The Rangers Tribune will be introducing a boatload of new features for the 2009-2010 season, and I will have a list of those up on the site within the next couple days, as I am just getting a few things finalized.

Once September comes, which is actually this Tuesday, we will be back in the full swing of things as we will have full coverage of training camp, the Traverse City Tournament, and Pre-season which begins on the 15th. Once that is all done, October will come, and the Rangers will begin the Regular Season, so there is not much time until we will be able to watch Rangers Hockey once again!

Also, there is only one day left in the August Poll, and we have 118 votes total, which is exceptional for the "hockey dead" month of August. So far fans feel that Sather's overall grade is a four out of five, and that is how I felt from day one, even before the Prospal signing. If you have not yet submitted your vote, please do so, as we feel all fans deserve to be heard.

Around the NHL: Kovalev Makes Odd Statement

Just over a month after Alex Kovalev signed a 2 year, $10 million deal with the Ottawa Senators, the 36 year old forward made a very unusual statement when speaking with the press recently, TSN reports. Kovalev stated that he would like to finish his career with the Montreal Canadians. Well Alex, do you think that is what your new fans in Ottawa want to hear from you? Here is the quote:

"I was disappointed, I thought for sure I'd be staying here," said Kovalev at his charity golf tournament in Montreal. "I couldn't really understand what had just happened. In the end, I took it from a business point of view. You had a chance to stay here, and you didn't, so you just go and do the job somewhere else. But maybe somewhere in the future I'll be back again, and get the same support."

I am not too sure that Alex will be brought back "somewhere down the road", as it seems as if the Habs have moved on in a different direction. In my opinion, Bob Gainey and the Canadians Brass made a mistake by letting Kovy go, as he accounted for a majority of the Habs offense last season. On July 1st, Candian Faithful were even creating petitions urging Gainey to re-sign Alex, but obviously Gainey felt otherwise.

Anyway, Ottawa fans are looking for something like "I am thrilled to be a part of the Senators" or "I am looking forward to being a Senator" but no, instead they get:

"I've been back to Montreal four or five times in the last three weeks," Kovalev continued. "Every time you see a fan on the street, (they say) they're really disappointed. That's why I say, maybe after two years I'll be back again. It definitely would be nice to retire here. But it's not for me to talk about Montreal - I'm part of another organization. I'm going to go there and do the best I can and we'll see what happens."

So Kovalev, who was speaking from his charity golf event in Montreal, made it a point that he wanted to stay in Montreal, and still does, and then he gives a small mentioning to the fact that he must move on and play in Ottawa.

Just an interesting story that I thought I would share with readers on this dismal Saturday.
(Image courtesy of AP Photo)

Rangers Showing Interest in Kessel?

Mark Everson of the New York Post hinted in today's article that the Rangers have previously inquired about the Boston Bruins' Phil Kessel and possibly will continue to pursue him. Kessel is currently an restricted free agent which means that Boston still holds the rights to the 21 year-old center, but their time is running out as October approaches, and they do not currently have the cap space to re-sign Kessel at the $5 million he has demanded.

All teams must be under the NHL Salary Cap ($56.8 million) by October 1st. By that time, the Bruins will have to either trade Kessel's rights to another team, or let another club give an offer sheet, and then the Bruins would receive a compensatory pick.

Here is what Mark had to say: "The Rangers are believed to have talked seriously with the Bruins about trading for Kessel, but not lately. At least two other teams are believed to have stepped up their bidding of late. Kessel is rehabbing from rotator cuff surgery, but may be ready to skate when camps open next month."

"Once Oct. 1 passes, the Bruins would be unable to match any Group 2 offer sheets, and would thus receive draft-pick compensation for Kessel. For salaries between $4.520 million and $6.026 million, compensation is a first-, second- and third-round pick. Fifth overall in 2006, Kessel is the Bruins' highest pick since they grabbed Joe Thornton first overall in 1997."

Kessel recorded 36 goals and 24 assists for 60 points in 70 games played with the Bruins last season. So the Rangers just let Nikolai Zherdev walk, and he was a 60 point producer and was worth about $4 million. So what would make Glen Sather and Ranger Brass want to sign Phil, another 60 point producer, for $5 million?

The only conclusion that I could come to is that Phil would be the Blueshirts' first line center that they have been looking for, and he can net around thirty goals. It is possible that Slats feels that a goal scoring 60 point producer (Kessel) is worth more than a 60 point producer who registers more assists than goals (Zherdev).

It is a tempting idea, but when push comes to shove, I do not think the Rangers will sign Kessel, as they simply do not want to waste $5 million in cap space on another sixty point player. I have said it many times, that I believe the Rangers should stay the course and re-sign Dubinsky, and see how he plays with Gaborik on the first line. If it does not work out, you have Drury, Prospal, and Higgins who can all play center as well. If none of those prove to be productive, which is highly unlikely, then Sather should go out and acquire a first line center later in the season, or even at the deadline.

Gaborik does not even need a highly skilled center to produce, as he is just that good. Gabs will record his usual stats without a first line center, and at the same time, will inflate the stats of whoever plays with him. So acquiring a first line center at this point would be foolish if it means giving up a lot.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Video: Marc Staal at Canada Olympic Camp

Here is a video from the Rangers Official Site, interviewing Marc Staal at the Team Canada Olympic Camp which is being held this week. Marc talks about the experience of being able to play with brothers, Jordan and Eric, as well as his chance at making the team.

New in Blue: Marian Gaborik

Here is a portion from my Bio on Marian Gaborik from early July:

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It took eight hours after the beginning of the Free Agency period for Glen Sather and newly acquired star Marian Gaborik to come to agreement on a contract. Gaborik may have won the battle over Sather, inking a contract for 5 years at $7.5 million per year, but this time, Sather has taken a gamble on real talent. Original reports were that the deal was 5 years at $5.7 per, but then it was corrected by TSN’s Darren Dreger, and he announced that the deal consisted of $7.5 million per. Fans were are little upset with the big contract going to an injury prone forward, but I think it is now realized that this was a needed acquisition, as Gaborik is a proven legitimate goal scorer in this league, he now just has to prove that he can play a full season without injuries.

Marian Gaborik, 27, was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. In his rookie year, young Marian played 71 games with the Wild, and posted 18 goals and 18 assists for a total of 36 points. In the following season, Gaborik had a much better season, as he scored 30 goals, almost double of first season total, and 37 assists, which adds up to 67 points. In 2002-03, Gaborik performed around the same as his second season, going 30-35-65, in 81 games played.

After the 2002-03 season, injuries became a major factor in Gabby's career, as the skilled forward played only 272 games in his next five seasons in the NHL. That is an average of 54 games per season, not good. Now although he played so few games, he was still able to put up numbers when he was in. His ability to score really showed in the 2007-08 season, when Marian scored 42 goals and 41 assists for 83 points in 77 games played. Because of this, Gaborik was sent to the All-Star game for the second time in his career. Now Marian's worst season would probably be his most recent, 2008-09, and not because of low numbers. It is mainly because he played only 17 games due to hip surgery. When Gaborik was in the line-up for the Wild, he was effective, scoring 13 goals in those 17 games.

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Gaborik is the first "star" that the Rangers have acquired (that does not wear goalie pads) since Jaromir Jagr. Gabs basically took last season off to re-hab from his surgeries and injuries, and then returned at the end of the season to prove that he still was able to net goals being that it was a contract year for him, and that is exactly what he did, registering 13 goals in 17 games played, as mentioned above.

When referring to Gaborik, most fans use the phrase "if healthy", well, he now has been going through intense training, and doctors have labeled Marian as the healthiest he has ever been since playing. I believe in this statement, and if it is true, and Gaborik does not have any disruptions from injuries, you can fully expect anywhere from 35 to 5o goals from the gifted winger. The Rangers lacked the big scorer last season, but that role is now in the hands of Marian Gaborik. Whether he will live up to the challenge I can not predict, but if he is healthy, there is no doubt in my mind that he will net at least thirty goals.

The question now is who will center Gaborik? Well, whoever ends up playing with Gaborik, their stats will automatically inflate five to ten percent, he is that good. So it really comes down to who plays better with Marian in camp, pre-season, and early on in the season. But whoever that center may be, you will see an increase in their stats when comparing them to last season.

With that said, Gaborik was a spectacular acquisition, and if he is healthy, he will be well worth his $7.5 million contract. There is really no negative to this signing, besides the fact that Gaborik has had an injury-prone past, but as I said earlier, his injuries are now a thing of the past.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

More "New in Blue"

New in Blue: Donald Brashear

New in Blue: Christopher Higgins

New in Blue: Ales Kotalik

New in Blue: Enver Lisin

New in Blue: Enver Lisin

After Ales Kotalik was signed, it was fairly quiet in Ranger Land until the Blueshirts re-signed Ryan Callahan and traded away forward Lauri Korpikoski to the Phoenix Coyotes for the speedy Enver Lisin all in one day. Sather traded away a youngster that just couldn't find his game in New York, and in exchange, received who former coach Wayne Gretzky calls one of the fastest players in the game today.

Lisin, 23, was brought into the league as a rookie in 2006-07, but only played in 17 games that year, scoring one goal in that span. In 2007-08, the 6-1, 290 pound winger played in only 13 games with the Coyotes, but registered four goals. Last season, in 08-09, Lisin played a total of 48 games with Phoenix, and recorded 13 goals and 8 assists for 21 points. In those 48 games, however, Lisin was a minus thirteen, which leads me to the downside of Enver's game.

Lisin has outstanding speed paired with a great set of hands that he can put to use at all times, but that is only the offensive half of the story. The Moscow native is often criticized for not being a part of the backcheck. Lisin is not a responsible player within his own zone just yet, but I feel like that can change, although that is the story with most Russian players these days. They hold all of the talent in the world, but do not always use it, especially when it comes to the defensive side of the game. Now Lisin is still very young, so it is way too early to label him as the prototypical enigmatic Russian, but if he can not learn to play defense, his talent will go to waste.

Lisin will be given a long look during camp by both the coaching staff, and Glen Sather. He was brought here to add speed to this team, and camp will determine where he will apply his speed within the lineup. Based on recent acquisitions, I would put my money on Lisin getting a spot on either the third or fourth line with the Rangers this season. He has a lot of offensive potential, and was on pace to score over twenty goals last season with the Coyotes. The problem with placing Enver on the fourth line is that he would not be effective on the defensive side of the puck, when you are supposed to be able to count on your fourth line for defensive support, and his talent would be somewhat going to waste playing fourth line minutes.

On the other hand, Lisin would add a lot of speed to a fourth line that Donald Brashear and Brian Boyle will most likely call home. To have a scorer on the fourth line like that provides you with a very deep team, but I feel like his talent would be put to waste playing on the fourth. It is a pretty tough decision to make with Lisin, because now with the addition of Prospal, you already have the first three lines filled up, which only leaves a fourth line spot available.

In the end, this was a great trade by Glen Sather, as he traded away Lauri Korpikoski, who only had eight goals in about sixty games, and received Lisin, who scored 13 goals in only 48 games, which is a drastic improvement. It is now up to camp and preseason to decide where speedy Lisin will play in the 2009-10 lineup.

(Image courtesy of AP Photo)

More "New in Blue"

New in Blue: Donald Brashear

New in Blue: Christopher Higgins

New in Blue: Ales Kotalik

New in Blue: Ales Kotalik

In Mid-July, Glen Sather and the Rangers announced that they had signed free agent Right Wing, Ales Kotalik for 3 years at $3 million per. Kotalik, 30, was supposedly approached by former Buffalo teammate, Chris Drury about coming an playing in New York. Obviously Chris did a good job at persuading the czech native, because a week later the duo that once excelled in Buffalo was re-united here, with the Rangers.

Kotalik first entered the league as a rookie in 2001-02, when he played just 13 games with the Sabres. Ales's first full year in the NHL came in 2002-03, where he registered 21 goals and 14 assists for 35 points in 68 games played with Buffalo. Kotalik's best year was in 2005-06, when he recorded 25 goals and 37 assists for 62 points in 82 games played with the Sabres. Last Season, Ales's time in Buffalo ended mid-way through the season when he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers. Kotalik scored a total of 20 goals between the two teams and also put up 23 assists.

Kotalik's biggest weapon is his powerful shot. When he has the opportunity to let one rip, he does not hesitate at all. Because of this, Kotalik is often used on the point on the powerplay, something the Rangers should definitely take advantage of. Another area of the game Kotalik is a specialist at is the shootout. Ales is 20 for 38 when it comes to shootouts, and that puts him among the top five in NHL history in shootout percentage. Last season, one could say that Nik Zherdev was the Blueshirt's top shootout guy. Well, with him departing, John Tortorella will most likely be going with Kotalik in shootouts in 2009-10.

The 6-1, 227 pound native of the Czech Republic was very effective while playing with current Ranger, Chris Drury back in his Buffalo years. In an interview with the media, Drury stated that whenever lines were changed by head coach, Lindy Ruff, himself and Kotalik always seemed to be paired together no matter what. They have great chemistry together, and that should and will be exploited here in New York. Drury also played a big part in Kotalik's decision to sign here.

So as I said above, the two areas where Kotalik will be most effective for the Blueshirts is on the powerplay and in the shootout. If you are expecting him to net thirty goals, you are setting yourself up for disappointment, as it is possible, but not probable. I am basing this on past performance, as the most goals Kotalik has ever reached in a season was 25, so now at an older age, I would expect somewhere between 20 and 25 from him this year. Hopefully Tortorella's offensive system can improve that, but Ales did play for a pretty good coach in Lindy Ruff while in Buffalo.

All in all, this was a solid signing by Sather. He knew that Gaborik would provide the primary scoring, so he had to go out and get some some secondary depth scoring, and that is exactly what Kotalik brings to the table. Sather was also looking to resolve the powerplay personnel as it was atrocious last season, and Kotalik will surely contribute to that as well. I do not know if I would have signed him for three years, but we will see how it all plays out.

(Photo courtesy of Reuters Pictures)

More "New in Blue"

New in Blue: Donald Brashear

New in Blue: Christopher Higgins

Grachev Finished in OHL (Now Unconfirmed)

Earlier on Monday, Beyond the Blueshirts reported that the Rangers most hyped-up prospect, Evgeny Grachev will not play in the OHL with the Brampton Battalion this season, as it will either be the NHL with the Rangers, or the AHL with the Wolf Pack for the 19 year-old winger.

Last season, Grachev was second in the team in scoring with 80 points, and lead all OHL rookies in scoring, therefore earning the "Rookie of the Year" title in 2008-09. The 6-3, 202 pound Russian, in my opinion, has the highest potential out of all Ranger Prospects, as in his North American debut, recorded 40 goals and 40 assists in only 60 games played last season, and those are incredible stats for such a young player to put up.

Now it is the big leagues for Grachev, though. The Rangers third round draft pick in 2008 will surely get a shot at a roster spot with the Blueshirts in camp this season, but I feel like he will spend the year in the AHL with the Wolf Pack, just to get the feel of things. There is no reason to rush the process, so Ranger brass should give him a season in the AHL, let him find himself there, and then bring him up to the NHL next season. Ranger fans can get a preview of Evgeny in the Traverse City Prospect Tournament in early September.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

UPDATE: It is now being said that this is un-confirmed, and there is still a chance Grachev goes back to the OHL. At this point, I feel the best possible league for his development is the AHL, and that is where I put my money on him going.

Sorry for the confusion....

Also, if you did not read my post from earlier regarding the Rangers and free agent, Dennis Seidenberg, please do so by reading the below post.

Rangers Talking to Seidenberg (UPDATE)

Steve Zipay of Blue Notes has translated a German article which held an interview with 28 year-old defenseman, Dennis Seidenberg. The 6-1, 210 pound blue-liner is currently an unrestricted free agent, after recording 5 goals and 25 assists for 30 points in 70 games played with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. Here is the quote from Dennis:

"concrete are the discussions at present with the Florida Panthers and the New York Ranger. My agent spoke with both clubs about the running time of the contract. I would have gladly a three-year contract."

The Rangers are supposedly offering a one-year deal to Seidenberg, just as they did with Francis Bouillon earlier in the month.

Right now, with the departure of Paul Mara and Derek Morris, there are two open roster spots on the Blueshirt defense. The top contenders for those two spots are Bobby Sanguinetti, Matt Gilroy, and Mike Del Zotto. I am starting to get the feeling the Rangers believe that one of those three is not quite ready for the NHL level, therefore it would make sense to bring in a Seidenberg or Bouillon. Seidenberg would be a solid addition to the Blueshirt back end, especially at the price we would acquire him at, since he was only paid $1.2 million with the Carolina Hurricans in 2008-09.

Will keep you updated.....

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

UPDATE: More from Zipay on Seidenberg:

"The Good- Seidenberg brings a nice offensive touch and is a very good option at the point on the powerplay. He has an above average shot. As mentioned above, he's an excellent shot blocker and can play a physical game.

The Bad- He can find himself out of position at times and has usually been a minus player throughout his career. (This season he was -9 in 70 games and was -5 in the playoffs) He might also be a health concern, perhaps because of the way he plays the game. (This season's 70 games are the most he has played in one season since his AHL days)

The Money- The Hurricanes signed the defenseman to a one year, 1.2 million dollar contract last year, He is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will be free to sign with any team on or after July 1st. He has certainly played well enough to deserve a raise, but that might very well mean Carolina will have to pass on him. The Canes are high on prospects Bryan Rodney, Casey Borer, and Brett Carson. With Gleason, Pitkanen, Wallin, Corvo, and Kaberle already under contract, that doesn't leave much room for the prospects unless the team can get creative with how to deal with Kaberle."

New in Blue: Christopher Higgins

On June 30th, a day before free agency began, Glen Sather traded away underachieving center, Scott Gomez, and received 26 year old winger, Christopher Higgins in return. Trading away Gomez was obviously a salary dumping move on Sather's part, but not only did he dump salary, he acquired a great depth scorer in Higgins as well.

Higgins, Smithtown Native, first entered the NHL with the Montreal Canadians in 2003-04, where he only played for two games. In 2005-06 Higgins was brought up to play his first NHL season in its entirety, and Chris made a big splash in his rookie year, scoring 23 goals and 15 assists for 38 points in 80 games played with the Habs. The following year, Higgins recorded one less goal, and one more assist (22-16-38), but then he had his breakout season in 2007-08, when he registered 27 goals and 25 assists for 52 points in 82 games played. Higgins raised many eyebrows when he put up those numbers, and fans had very high hopes for him going into the 2008-09 season.

Unfortunately, injuries plagued Higgins last season, only allowing him to play in 57 games, in which he only scored twelve goals. Now obviously the injuries played a very big part in Chris's decline in 08/09, but over the course of this summer, Higgins has went through re-hab, and has been undergoing full-blown training to make sure tat he bulks up, and can put his injuries behind him.

After four full years with the Canadians, the 6-0, 203 pound winger comes home to New York, where his father is a firemen, and his brother a cop, and where the rest of his family calls home. Ever since arriving, Chris has talked about how excited he is to be playing in New York, and even went as far as saying that if there was one team he wanted to be on other than the Habs, it would have been the Rangers, so he could play at Madison Square Garden in front of the New York crowd.

Chris on coming to New York (courtesy of Blueshirt Banter): "I mean if there is one place—without a doubt—that I would want to play in besides Montreal it would be New York with the Rangers. To get traded to them out of 28 teams it’s an amazing feeling—I always wanted to play in New York at some point in my career. And to end up at the prime of my career with a team that I think is going in the right direction it’s just a fantastic opportunity for myself and New York in general."

There is no greater feeling to play a professional sport where you grew up, and in front of your family and friends. Both came true for Higgins this summer. Another factor that comes into play is that Chris definitely knows how to handle pressure, as he played in Montreal, where there is a huge magnifying glass over every hockey player that steps foot on Montreal Ice. Because of that, the pressure of playing for the Rangers will not phase Chris, and pressure is usually what makes players crumble here in New York. Chris has been through it already, and in a way, will be well prepared for it while playing in New York.

All things considered, it seems as if Chris Higgins has put his injuries behind him, and is now ready to move on and be a great player under the New York lights. Sather made a fantastic trade to not only get rid of Gomez, but to bring this kid in at the same time. Higgins was only three goals away from hitting the thirty mark in 07/08, and probably would have been able to last season if it wasn't for the injuries.

I , personally, am very excited to see Chris in Ranger Blue, in front of his home town friends and family, and I feel he is really going to fit well into Tortorella's system. Higgins is a hard skater and is very aggressive. He will work the corners and is great on the forecheck. That right there is the perfect recipe for Torts' system.With that said, there is no doubt in my mind that this kid could be a thirty goal scorer for the Rangers in 2009-10.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

More "New in Blue":

New in Blue: Donald Brashear

New in Blue: Donald Brashear

Over the next week, The Rangers Tribune will be looking at all of the new additions to the Blueshirts by introducing the daily series, "New in Blue". In it, I will talk about the player's past performances on other teams, and how I think they will contribute to the Rangers. Today, we kick off the series by taking a look at newly acquired enforcer, Donald Brashear.

Only a few hours into free agency on July First, the news broke that Glen Sather signed 6-3, 234 pound winger, Donald Brashear. The initial reaction from fans, including myself, was negative, especially when we found out that Donald was going to be paid $1.4 million over the next two years. Well, after some time of letting things fall into place when it comes to this team, the Brashear signing wasn't as bad as fans first thought. In my opinion, the instant negativity that was being displayed by fans was because of the hit that Brashear landed on former Ranger, Blair Betts in game six of the playoff series with the Capitals. There is no question that it was a dirty hit, but as Rangers Captain, Chris Drury perfectly stated, Brashear is wearing our jersey now, and all past events must be forgotten, and we must get over them.

Right before the Rangers signed "Brash", former Blueshirt, Colton Orr signed a four year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. That left Sather without an enforcer on this team, so he quickly pounced on Brashear and signed him. Donald was the best available fighter at the time, so I feel like Sather threw him the $1.4 million contract to make sure that he had him locked up. Brashear, in my opinion, is a better skater and a better fighter than Colton Orr, hence the reason why Tortorella supported the signing so much. Brashear fits into John Tortorella's system much better than Orr would have. Brash may be slow, but he is still an improvement offensively when comparing him to Orr.

Donald has played for four different teams, Rangers being the fifth, in his fifteen year career so far. The former Capital's Assistant Captain has recorded only 85 goals in that span, but at the same time has registered well over 2,000 penalty minutes. His most penalty minutes in a season was in 1997-98 when he sat in the box for a total of 372 minutes. Most of these minutes being penalized are not for dumb penalties either, as it is more often than not for fighting. When you talk about the heavyweights of the NHL, Donald Brashear is always amongst the top. In fact, I would label Brashear the second best fighter in the league, behind Georges Laraque. When a player is willing to engage in a fight with Brashear, they are well aware of what they are stepping into, and that is a stocky player that can throw hay-makers like a boxer, and will never give up on you until you are on the ground.

All in all, the contract Brashear was given is not the greatest, but the type of player and presence that he brings to the team is huge. As we know, Marian Gaborik has had an injury prone past, but now with Brashear on the team, players will think twice about going after Gaborik with an intent to injure, because they know what they will eventually have to deal with. Another thing that makes this signing great is the coach the Brashear will be playing under. In the past, Donald was sometimes labeled as a "dirty" player. Well, Torts has already made it clear that if he sees Brashear making an attempt to injure someone, or take cheap shots of any sort, it will be dealt with, and Donald will face the consequences.

Also, the statement made by Chris Drury that I mentioned above, also included this phrase in regards to the Brashear signing, "I don’t think one guy in here had a problem with it, or is going to have a problem with it. And if anyone does, they can come see me." That was a very bold statement, and something that a Captain should be saying, so kudos to Chris on that one.

(Image courtesy of AP Photo)

The Interview File: Stan Fischler Talks 2009-10 Rangers

For my second time around in the Interview File series, I decided to interview the "Hockey Maven", Stan Fischler of MSG Network and MaxHockey.com. Stan is one of the more knowlegable analysts when it comes to Metro Area Hockey, especially the Rangers. Stan was kind enough to complete this interview over the phone, and we greatly appreciate that here at the Rangers Tribune. So without further ado, here is my interview with the Maven, Stan Fischler. (Everything I say is printed in Blue, and everything Stan says is in Grey)

Q: Is it alarming to you that restricted free-agent, Brandon Dubinsky has yet to be re-signed by the Rangers, and do you think that a deal will eventually be completed?

A: No, it is not alarming, as these kinds of negotiations often take time. The media and fans tend to overreact for no good reason. They need something to write about and panic about. He will be signed and everything will be honkey dorey.

Q: When Glen Sather made the bold move to trade away Scott Gomez to the Montreal Canadians, were you taken by surprise, or did you expect Sather to be dumping some salary in this off-season?

A: Gomez had worn out his welcome in a lot of ways, that is number one. Secondly, he had a new coach, and he [Tortorella] wasn’t crazy about him as far as I could see. Tortorella likes to get players of his choice. While I liked Scotty very much as a talent, I was somewhat surprised, but not shocked.

Q: Do you feel that Gaborik was the best fit free agent out there for the Rangers, or was there a specific player that you would have liked Sather to sign, instead of Marian?

A: I am a big fan of Gaborik, and have been a fan ever since he moved on to playing with Minnesota. I am a fan of Gaborik because of his natural talent, and Gaborik played under the best defense first coach in hockey in Jaques Lemaire, as Lemaire has taught him the defensive end and the offensive end. I interviewed Gaborik late last season when he came to Nassau, and he impresses me in every way.

Q: Team doctors have claimed that Gaborik is in great shape, despite his injury prone past, and is currently in full training for the upcoming season. Based on this and your opinion, is Gaborik’s injury-filled career behind him, and will he be able to play a full season as a Blueshirt without any problems?

A: Nobody can predict, but Maurice “the Rocket” Richard, in his first couple of years with Montreal, was considered injury-prone because he was little. He became the Babe Ruth of hockey, so don’t worry about Gaborik.


Q: In your opinion, which current Ranger is most suited to center a line with Gaborik in the 2009-10 season?

A: The whole question of lines is one of the most overrated and exaggerated aspects of hockey. Lines change by period, by game, it all depends on whether the team is winning or losing. My belief is that the team has a couple of centers that could fit with him. It could be Drury, it could be Dubinsky, but that is what training camp is all about, it is impossible to forecast. If they are losing after two periods into the season, they will change the lines, so don’t worry about lines.

Q: What is your take on the acquisition of enforcer, Donald Brashear, and is he an upgrade or downgrade from former Ranger, Colton Orr?

A: Colton Orr, god bless him, was a hard worker, but as a skater, he couldn’t get a job at Rockefeller Skating Rink. He is not a good skater, he can’t score, but he can fight. Brashear can score and is a better fighter, so it is an upgrade.

Q: Do you believe that the decision of letting Nikolai Zherdev walk was the right one, or should Glen Sather have accepted the contract and allow Nik a second chance in New York?

A: Zherdev was very stupid. First of all, he asked crazy money, way above and beyond for what he has produced. Zherdev isn’t worth three million and the Rangers offered him more than three million, which he should have taken and shut his mouth.

Q: With Antropov, Gomez, and Zherdev all departing from the Rangers, Sather went out and acquired Higgins, Prospal, Lisin, and Kotalik. What are your thoughts on this?

A: -Antropov was somewhat of a disappointment, so there is no loss there.
-Zherdev played for three of the best coaches in Ken Hitchcock, Tom Renney, and John Tortorella and he was a disappointment for all three. He was 0 for 3 so he struck out.
-Chris Higgins is going to be a very motivated guy, he is playing here, where he came from, and I believe that he will have a career year this coming season.
-I like Prospal. Prospal knows the coach, the coach knows Prospal. Prospal was faced with a situation where his career was basically ended, nobody else was taking him, and the Rangers took him. He realizes that he is getting another chance, and he is going to play well.
-Kotalik is a good player, he has some skill, and he is going to be good. I like him, he is a really good shoot-out man, and it is good to have a shootout specialist. He is going to be very helpful that way, and he is a good fit.
- Lisin is the perfect example of why they have training camp. It is all about how you impress the coach and what kind of shape you are in. It will be a very hard camp, and if this guy is up to it, then maybe he will make the team.

Q: Now that John Tortorella has all of training camp to apply his offensive system to the Rangers, do you expect the Blueshirts to be much more threatening in the offensive zone this season?

A: I believe that with Tortorella’s system, the club will be automatically ten percent better. I was a big fan of Tom Renney, still am, but Tom Renney had outlived his usefulness in terms of this hockey club. In my interview with Chris Drury, he said that it was time for a change, and these things happen all of the time in sports.

Q: With the new offensive system being applied, do you feel that Chris Drury will have a better year, when comparing it to last season?

A: I will tell you one thing about Drury, I talked to him in good length the other day, and nobody on the Rangers is going to be more pumped to succeed than Drury. He is going to have a terrific year in every way, and he will dedicate himself to the system. I don’t know what went wrong, precisely, between Drury and the coach [Renney], but it didn’t work, and all you had to do is read between the lines. When Renney left, he commented negatively about Drury and his leadership, and that burned Drury. Drury is going to come back and be very effective.

Q: What kind of season do you feel youngsters Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky (assuming he is re-signed) will have in 2009-10?

A: -Ryan Callahan has a good feel for the league, and he is going to build on what he has already accomplished. We know that he is a very tenacious player, and he is going to be, I would say, five to ten percent better this season.
-Dubinsky had a very good playoffs, and I think that was very significant. Dubinsky needs to mature a little bit, and he will under Tortorella, because Tortorella will force him to. I expect a lot out of Dubinsky.

Q: Marc Staal was obviously the Rangers top defenseman last season, but he is yet to find his offensive game at the NHL level. Do you feel that Tortorella will be able to change that, and have Marc not only contributing defensively, but on offense as well?

A: Staal has grown incrementally ever since his first exhibition game and he knows now, that it is not going to hurt him to pay a little bit more attention to offense. You will see him working the powerplay, and you will see him growing on the offensive side this season.

Q: In your interview with John Tortorella, he mentioned that he plans on giving Henrik Lundqvist some more games off than he has seen in previous seasons. In your opinion, is this the correct mentality, or do you believe that Hank is just fine playing close to seventy games per season?

A: The coach [Tortorella] was disappointed in the way they blew the lead to Washington. He was disappointed in the way Lundqvist finished the series, and he thinks that Lundqvist may have been tired. He has a very good backup in Valiquette. Valiquette can afford to play more games, and Lundqvist can afford to rest more games, and then everything will work out.
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Even though it may still be early, within my interviews I like to do a little piece on predictions, so here it goes.

Q: Who do you predict will lead the team in goals? Assists? Points?
A: Gaborik will lead in every department.

Q: Will Henrik Lundqvist have a better or worse year stat wise, when comparing the upcoming season to the 08-09 season?
A: Lundqvist will be better under Tortorella. He will be better playing fewer games, and he will have one of his best seasons ever.
Q: While looking at the team on paper, are the Rangers of 2009-10, better or worse than the Rangers of 08-09?
A: Better by ten percent, and I think that the influence of the coach will be tremendous.
Q: And finally, which current Rangers will be wearing the available A’s (Alternate Captain) on their jerseys come October?
A: It will be Staal and Gaborik.

Interview with the Maven to be Posted Saturday

Just to update you guys, my interview with Stan Fischler of MSG Network has been completed, as I just got off of the phone with him, and now it is just a matter of putting it all together and getting it up on the site. I will be working on that very task tonight and tomorrow, so you can expect to see it up on the blog by mid-day on Saturday.

I appreciate your cooperation.

Let the Countdown Begin....

We are officially 42 days away from the beginning of the 2009-10 Ranger Regular Season. It has been a very long Summer with plenty of action, from a fan's perspective at least. In the coming weeks, all un-finished business will be finalized (Dubinsky's contract) as we approach the beginning of training camp, which starts the second week in September.

Until then, if you want to follow the countdown to the Rangers' regular season start on Friday, October 2nd, follow this link, where I created a personal countdown to the long-awaited date: Countdown to Regular Season

More Later...

Interview with the Maven Delayed

Due to some un-expected technical difficulties, my interview with MSG Network's Stan Fischler has been delayed by a few days. As of right now, my target day to have this thing posted up on the site is Sunday. I am not guaranteeing that it will be up by then, by any means, but it is probable that it will be available to readers sometime this coming Sunday, possibly Saturday.

I apologize for the delay, and appreciate you cooperation.

Rangers Release Traverse City Roster (CONFIRMED)

In just over two weeks the Rangers will be sending a team of youngsters to Traverse City, Michigan for the annual prospect tournament hosted by the Detroit Red Wings. According to the Red Wings Official Site, Just today the rosters were released for the teams withing the tournament, including the Rangers. Here is the squad that will be representing the Blueshirts:

FORWARDS
63 Daniel Bartek C — Everett (WHL)
60 Ryan Bourque C - USA U-18 (USDP)
57 Chris Chappell LW — Saginaw (OHL)
58 Paul Crowder C — Alaska (NCAA)
56 Craig Cunningham LW — Vancouver (WHL)
59 Evgeny Grachev C - Brampton (OHL)
64 Roman Horak C - Ceske Budejovice HC (Czech)
67 Luke Pither C — Guelph (OHL)
53 Justin Soryal LW — Hartford (AHL)
55 Luke Walker RW — Portland (WHL)
65 Dale Weise RW - Hartford (AHL)
61 Ethan Werek C - Kingston (OHL)

DEFENSEMEN
47 Mike Berube D — Vancouver (WHL)
43 Michael Del Zotto D - Oshawa (OHL)
48 Tysen Dowzak D — Kelowna (WHL)
51 Mitch Gaulton D - Erie (OHL)
70 Trevor Glass D — Spokane (WHL)
72 Samuel Klassen D — Saskatoon (WHL)
46 Tomas Kundratek D - Medicine Hat (WHL)
52 Daniel Maggio D - Sudbury (OHL)

GOALTENDERS
96 Chad Johnson G - Alaska (NCAA)
94 Scott Stajcer G - Owen Sound (OHL)

Here are some players to watch; Chad Johnson, newly acquired goalie out of the OHL, Sam Klassen, signed by Rangers this summer, Mike Del Zotto, OHL prospect looking to make a legitimate run for a roster spot with the Rangers this season, Ethan Werek, drafted in the second round of this year's draft, Evgeny Grachev, probably the most skilled out of all Ranger prospects, Chris Chappell, newly acquired LW from the OHL, and finally Ryan Bourque who the Rangers drafted in the third round and made a big splash in the U20 tournament last week.

Despite the absence of some key prospects, the Rangers have a solid team, and will look to repeat what they did just a few years ago, and that is become the champions of the tournament. I will be posting up more information regarding the tournament as it approaches.

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Edit: Steve Zipay of Blue Notes has confirmed this roster.

Tortorella Talks About Off-Season and Acquisitions

While at the United States Olympic Camp, John Tortorella spoke with the media about several topics concerning his Rangers. Slap Shot of the NY Times summarized the entire event. Here is some of what Torts had to say:

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On Vaclav Prospal: “I know him really well,” Tortorella said of Prospal, whom the Rangers signed on Monday. “We’ve had some battles along the way.” “He still has talent,” Tortorella said Tuesday of the 34-year-old Prospal. “I think he has something to prove. And Vinny Prospal is a pretty damn good player when he has something to prove. He’s a pain sometimes, which doesn’t matter. It’s a good intensity that he has. I think he can help us. He has some offensive skill. It’s a good signing. It’s a one-year deal, not a bunch of money, and this guy has something to prove. I think he’s a pretty good player when he has that kind of attitude. He’ll help us on the power play.” “Vinny and I had a long conversation prior to our even talking about this … I know, I’ve coached him for so many years — my question was, Does he want to play? Is life too good? Because he’s made a lot of money. He’s been successful. He’s a good person. But I just wanted to make sure that he wanted to play. He’s ticked off. He was bought out. He has something to prove here. I think it’s a good situation on a one-year deal, and show us maybe for when another contract comes around. Some other people in the organization need to understand that too.”

On Marian Gaborik: “He’s a dynamic player. If we can keep him healthy — and he’s healthy now — we want to let him play. I know he’s gonna show me that he can play away from the puck and be competitive there. But we’re looking at the other end, and we want him to be that spontaneous, dynamic player. I just don’t think you win consistently in this league unless you have that kind of dynamic player. I am not going to overcoach him. I just want him to be instinctive. If shows me a two-way street the other way, as far as competing away from the puck, he can do his thing.”

On Training Camp: “The real part of it is when you can have your own camp,” he said. “That’s where we can establish what our mindset is going to be, conditioning, which I think is a weakness of our club. As I’ve said, and I make no bones about it, I don’t think we’re a stiff team mentally. I think we have to be a little bit tougher in that area, in mental parts and preparation.”

On the departure of Scott Gomez: “A lot of people think that Scotty and I are at odds. We have never been at odds. With us moving Scotty, I don’t think he played that well — I think Scott Gomez is honest about that too, I don’t think he thought he played that well — and we had an opportunity to get out of a contract there that was jamming us a little bit with the cap. I thought that Glen did a terrific job in taking care of that part of it. But I don’t begrudge Scotty anything as a hockey player, and he’s a good guy. Some of the onus belongs on our organization: we didn’t have a whole bunch of wingers that could help him. He’s playing in a pretty good city, too. So I wish him the best of luck.”
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So obviously John Tortorella and Vaclav Prospal have not had the best of relationships in the past, but it seems like they want to get off to a better start here in New York. If you are unaware of the popular interview where Prospal called out Tortorella, here is the video courtesy of YouTube:

Taking a Look at the 2009-10 Ranger Defense

A majority of the talk amongst Ranger fans this summer has been centered around the re-vamped offensive squad that will take the ice for the Blueshirts in 2009-10. At the same time, the 2009-10 defense, which will hold a new third pairing, has been somewhat neglected in conversation as of late. With the departure of Paul Mara and Derek Morris, two spots on the blueline have opened for the Rangers, and there is a whole pool of prospects that have their eyes on those spots as we approach training camp and pre-season.

First, I will start with the number one pairing for the Blueshirts this season. In my opinion, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi were tremendous while playing together on the first pairing in the playoff series against the Capitals. Every time Alex Ovechkin hit the ice, so did Staal and Girardi, and they did an acceptable job of keeping him off of the score sheet. They are both young and cheap, but are also the best pairing for the Rangers in the back-end.

Staal is superior to any of the other defensemen on this team, and can be considered a "shut-down" defenseman. Marc is an excellent hitter, he can skate very well, and has great vision when making passes on the break-out. The only area that needs improvement in Staal's game is his offense. Once Marc can start getting the puck on net, he will be used in every situation possible, including the powerplay, and will be a more complete defenseman, and one of the better in the league.

As for Girardi, he has the ability to be a threat offensively, but it always seems like his offensive game disappears mid-way through the season. Defensively, Dan was solid for the Rangers in 2008-09, especially when paired with Staal. Sure, he makes some mistakes here and there, but eight out of ten times he will shut a player down when they come down on him. Girardi's plus/minus was not the best last year, but people seem to forget that he was paired with Redden most often while Renney was coach, and that brought both Dan's offensive and defensive statistics down.

Now moving on to the second pairing, where I would put Redden and Rozsival together. Many will disagree with that pairing, but I will do my best to explain why they should be together. Both players have been solid defensemen earlier in their career, but once the big bucks came along, it all seemed to vanish.

The way I see Redden's situation is that he is a pure offensive-defenseman, and he proved that in his years with the Ottawa Senators. Wade was brought here to run our powerplay, and be the "QB" with the man-advantage. Well, that obviously was not the case last season with Rangers. As I mentioned earlier, Wade is a pure offensive-defenseman, so when he is not producing offensively, he is not being effective at all. At times last season, Wade just seemed simply lost out there. With that said, Redden is not a shut-down defensemen, so he must be stronger in other areas to make up for that. There is no doubt that he needs to be more physical on the ice, he needs to shoot the puck much more often on the powerplay, and he needs to make smarter plays on the breakout. Each of the three areas of the game that I just mentioned do not take much skill, just hard work and dedication to improving them. Now Wade will never be worth his $6.5 million contract, but if he can improve on those three areas of the game that were mentioned, he can be a much more effective player.

Now to look at Wade's partner, Michal Rozsival. Rozsival is a good player. I may be ripped apart for that statement, but it is the truth, and many do not want to admit it. Rozsival, again, is overpaid, but before his big raise, he was well worth his contract and was great for the Rangers. After he had problems with his knees and some other injuries, his game went downhill. He can change that, but he cannot be timid from the point, and has to be stronger defensively. I put him and Redden together for two reasons. One is because they can help and learn from one another, and the second is because no one else should be dragged down with them, especially rookies. Redden and Rozsival both had below average seasons last year, but if they both are dedicated to improving their game, it can be done, and they can work with each other and become a solid pairing.

Now when looking at the third and final pairing, assuming no other acquisitions are made, you are looking at two rookie call-ups in my opinion. My picks would be Matt Gilroy and whoever of Mike Del Zotto and Bobby Sanguinetti prove to be better in camp. Gilroy is older, and will need to be put into the lineup very soon, so he can learn the ropes of the NHL while he is still young. As for Sangs and DZ, they are still very young, but if they are played in the NHL at this age, they can be developed into very solid defensemen. This will obviously be a young pairing, but both players will be hungry, and will be wanting to stay in the NHL, so you can count on them giving it their all.

All things considered, the 2009-10 Ranger defense may not be the strongest, but it can be stronger than last season with some improvement. There is no better type of coach than John Tortorella to bring that improvement because of the way he will push his players to the limit, and get everything he possibly can out of them, and that was the main reason why Glen Sather brought him to New York.
(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Prospal Excited to be Re-United with Torts/ Become a Ranger

Recently, Blue Notes had a chat with newly acquired Vaclav Prospal. Prospal talks about being re-united with his former coach, John Tortorella, and how he sees playing in New York as an opportunity to prove people wrong concerning his play. Here is some of what Prospal had to say:

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On being re-united with Torts: "Obviously it was a huge factor with him being the head coach; he coached me for seven seasons in Tampa, I’m more than happy to be reunited with him."

On Tortorella's coaching style: "I don’t know what's going to happen, but I know from years past, we always went for it. He didn’t want us to be sitting back and play the trap. He wanted us to play uptempo hockey, be offensive-minded, a team that’s gonna be taking chances but also play good defense. The motto was “safe is death”, that basically sums up the way he likes to coach."

On former Czech's that played for the Rangers: "Marty Straka, Petr Nedved, Jaromir Jagr, Radek Dvorak had great runs with the Rangers, some of them had career years, basically. For me, this is a big chance to prove people wrong."

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I, personally, am trilled to have Prospal on this team, especially at the price Glen Sather signed him for. It is always great when you acquire a player that is looking to prove people wrong, because you know they will attempt to give it their all and have one of their better seasons. I really hope that is the case with Prospal, because his production could end up playing a big role on this team.

More Later....

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Rangers Tribune to Interview the Maven

I am honored to announce that for the second piece in the "Interview File" series here on the blog, I have been able to interview MSG Network's Stan Fischler. Stan has been around the game of Hockey for many years, and is very knowledgeable when it comes to the Rangers. I asked Stan all about the "new" Ranger team, and we covered many topics regarding Blueshirt Hockey. I would like to thank Stan for taking the time to do this, as we all appreciate it.

I plan on having the interview up on the site sometime on Tuesday.

U.S. Olympic Camp Begins Today

Blue Notes is reporting that the United States Hockey Team will be holding their Olympic camp Practices today and tomorrow in Woodridge, Illinois. Chris Drury, Ryan Callahan, and John Tortorella are all present as they were invited to participate, Tortorella as assistant coach, and Drury and Callahan as player invites. A total of 34 players were invited to the camp, and will be broken up into two different groups for the practices.

It seems as if the squads are being determined by where the players play in the NHL, as Drury, Callahan, Kyle Okposo, Scott Gomez, Zach Parise, Paul Martin, and Mike Komisarek were all assigned to Group Two. All of those players listed, call the Eastern Conference home in the NHL.

As I said, the practices will take place today and tomorrow. From there, it is up to Team USA General Manager, Brian Burke to make decisions on which players will not make it past the cut, and which players will be in the lineup for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics in February. Drury is a veteran when it comes to USA hockey, so I would imagine he will make the team fairly easily, but for Ryan Callahan, this is a new experience. I am sure Cally will handle himself just fine, and hopefully will impress coaches as well as Burke, and make the final roster for the USA Olympic team.

(Photo courtesy of BU.edu)

More on the Prospal Signing

As I reported this morning, the Rangers have inked forward, Vaclav "Vinny" Prospal for one year at $1.1 million. The report came from Larry Brooks of the New York Post and has spread from there.

Prospal, 34, became an un-restricted free agent when the Tampa Bay Lightning bought out the remaining three years on his four-year, $14 million contract, which was ridiculous to even have given him in the first place. After being on the un-employment list for only a couple of weeks, Glen Sather acquired the 6-2, 198 pound forward at a very favorable price. What makes this signing that much better is the fact that Prospal can play both the wing and center positions, which gives the Blueshirts a back-up plan if they cannot find a fitting center for Marian Gaborik.

Prospal had a "below-par" season in 2008-09, only registering 45 points, but again, he played with Tampa, where things were not moving in the right direction at all. Also, John Tortorella is a very familiar face to Prospal, as Torts coached the czech native during two different stints with the Bolts, one of which Vinny recorded 33 goals.

Now many will wonder what this signing means for current RFA, Brandon Dubinsky. In my opinion, I think that Slats will now go ahead and re-sign Dubi and have Tortorella try him out with Gaborik. If Dubi cannot find chemistry with Gaborik, and no other players can be matched with Marian, then he has the option to put Prospal in that position. But I do not think that the situation will even call for that, because Dubi will most likely be a fit with Gaborik, as it is hard not to gel with a player of such caliber.

With that said, Prospal will most likely be playing wing for the Rangers this season, and will be doing so at a very cheap price. This was a great depth signing by Glen Sather, as you can count on Prospal for at least 20 goals and 50 points while playing under Tortorella's offensive system.

(Image courtesy of AP Photo)

NY Post: Rangers Sign Prospal

Larry brooks of the New York Post has announced that the Rangers have signed free agent winger, Vaclav Prospal for one year at $1.1 million. Prospal recorded 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points last season. Prospal, 33, has been playing in the NHL for a total of 12 seasons now.

In my opinion, this is an excellent signing by Glen Sather. Prospal has scored 30 goals previously in his career, and is a decent goal-scorer. This is a great depth signing for an amazing price, and Prospal has played under coach Tortorella in Tampa a few years ago. Overall, a great signing by Glen Sather that will surely pay off.

More Later.....

(Image courtesy of AP Photo)

Messier Makes Return to Rangers

Not as a player, of course. The New York Post is reporting that former Ranger Great, Mark Messier has acquired a job as special assistant to General Manager Glen Sather. This will be Messier's first full-time job since ending his hockey career in 2004.

"I couldn't be more thrilled with the opportunity to move back to New York with my family, to learn from Glen and to work for the Rangers," Messier said yesterday by phone from the Bahamas. "I'm going to come in and get my feet wet and get an overview of how the business runs and how the team runs and take it from there."

It is great to see such an accomplished icon not only in the city of New York, but in the entire sport of hockey take a job within the organization. Messier was always a committed team player, as everything he did on the ice was to benefit his team, and not himself. Hopefully he can use those great qualities in his new occupation.

"While I believe I have a lot to offer, I know I have a lot to learn about the management and business side of the sport," Messier said. "From the hockey side, I'm going to try and get a feel for the players we have under contract, the depth of our organization, the operation in [AHL] Hartford."

Congratulations Captain!

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Video: Drury Remembers Childhood/ Pack to Play at the Rock

Here is another video from the Rangers Official Site, this time talking with Rangers Captain, Chris Drury about his his childhood hockey days, and about playing with the kids at the youth camp that has been going on at the Training Center throughout the past week. It is great to see the Blueshirts take time out of their schedule to participate in a camp with some youngsters, and that is something Tortorella said he wanted to see more of from his players.



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Also, earlier this week it was announced that the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Lowell Devils (Devils' farm-team) will square off at the Prudential Center on January 6th and February 3rd. Tickets will be sold to the Public, so it gives fans an opportunity to see some of their youngsters in action.

My Advice to Fans: Have Patience

Patience is a key word when it comes to the month of August for hockey fans. In early June, even though your team may be eliminated from the playoffs, or didn't make it at all, fans have the option of watching the Stanley Cup Final which is always appealing. Later in June, you then have the NHL Entry Draft which lasts for a couple days. After all that is completed, the real buzz of the off-season comes when it is July 1st, and the free agent frenzy begins. Most players sign within those first two weeks of free agency, and then you have some trades made, and other transactions from teams as the month of July dies down.Then comes the month of August, the worst time period of the year for hockey fans for two reasons. One, not many moves are made in August, and two, the fans are so extremely anxious for the start of the next season that they are literally counting down the days.

So right now, we are stuck in the "hockey dead" month of August along with fans of 29 other teams. All we hear about are different rumors of moves that the Blueshirts could or will eventually make, but a majority of them do not ever come true. What I can assure is this, there has definitely been a bump in the road with the Dubisnky situation. In the beginning of the off-season, I stated that if I were in Sather's position, my first move would be to re-sign Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky. Well, we had to wait until mid-July to even find out that Callahan was re-signed, and now we approach the midway point of August, and still no Dubinsky.

Once Callahan, Lisin, Boyle, Potter, and Higgins were all signed to contracts, that is when fans started to become a bit alarmed regarding Dubinsky's situation. I first speculated that Dubinsky and his agent were the ones holding things up, as they may have wanted more money than Glen Sather was willing to hand out. Then, websites all around the Internet were rumoring that the Rangers were making a push for Brad Richards for the Dallas Stars. The obvious players that Sather would attempt to trade for Brad Richards would be Dubinsky and Rozsival. I say Dubinsky because he is a center, and we would have too many of those if we kept him and acquired Richards at the same time. Also, why else would the 23 year-old center not be re-signed to a new contract by now? I truly believe that Sather had Dubinsky on the trade block to acquire a commonly talked about first line center, but there must be be something holding it up, as no move has been confirmed yet.

In my opinion, trading Dubinsky for Richards is a big mistake on Sather's part. The moves that Slats has made during the course of this summer suggest that he is introducing a youth movement, something that hasn't been applied to the Rangers in quite some time. If you want to make a youth movement and work towards making a better future, then you do not go and trade away one of your potential filled players for an older player that will only last you a couple years, and will eat away at your cap at the same time. Let's face it, the Rangers are not making a legitimate cup run this season, so there is no reason to go out and get Richards just so we can win now. Dubinsky should be given the chance to center our first line with Gaborik, as it will build his game, and be a great learning experience. If things don't work out, then make a move for a top center next summer, but for now, at least give Dubinsky a chance.

The Rangers have a great farm system that is calling for a solid team in the future, but to go and trade some of that future away for an older player that is overpaid is simply a big mistake. I can guarantee that fans will be all over Richards just like they were with Gomez. In this cap era of the NHL, everything is "bang for your buck" and quite honestly, Richards isn't deserving of his contract, nor was Gomez, and once Richards is not playing up to full expectations, fans will wanted him traded, just like Gomez.

With that said, I feel that Sather should re-sign Dubinsky, have him center the first line, and then sign free agent winger, Alex Tanguay to a short-term contract. The fact that Tanguay has yet to be signed tells me that he hasn't gotten many offers. That means his overall price is probably low, so we would be able to fit him under the cap, without having to trade any of our current players. This is a much more reasonable approach.

So my advice to fans is to just have patience and wait, because you do not want the wrong move to be made by the franchise. Many fans desperately want a move to be made just so they are occupied, but if you rush the process, the wrong decisions are made, and it ends up hurting the team instead of helping it.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Bouillon Update/ Subway Ads

Yesterday, I reported that there was a rumor stating that free agent defenseman, Francis Boullion signed with the Rangers for 1 year at $1 million. Well, a french news source has supposedly talked to Bouillon, who has made it clear that he is yet to make a decision, but he has it narrowed down to the Rangers, Penguins, and Blackhawks.

Like I said yesterday, Bouillon is equal to, or better than Paul Mara. Francis is small, but that does not prevent him from putting everything he has into his game.

Also, a story from the USA Today reports that the NHL will most likely be using the virtual advertisements on the glass behind the nets this season. Ranger fans saw a preview of this towards the end of the season when MSG decided to place the Subway ads up.

Here is a quote from the article:

"As cash-hungry sports teams and TV networks scramble for scarce ad dollars on Madison Avenue, so-called virtual signs are becoming a virtual reality in the sports-TV world. Once taboo outside Major League Baseball telecasts, these high-tech ads are digitally inserted inside live game coverage. They're typically projected on a wall or glass and are only visible to viewers at home, not fans at the arena or ballpark. The NHL has discussed how to use virtual ads during the upcoming season with its national TV partners in the USA and Canada. At least four NHL clubs are working with their regional sports networks to sell virtual ads next season — the Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and New York Rangers."

Video: Callahan Talks about 2009-10 Season

Here is the newest video from the Rangers Official Website, this one interviewing Rangers forward, Ryan Callahan. Cally touches upon several subjects, and explains how he feels the new acquisitions will help support the offensive system that will in full effect this season. Check it out for yourself:

USA Sticks it to Russia Once Again, 6-1

Yesterday I reported about the USA demolishing the Russians by a score of eight to one in the first game of Evaluation Camp. Well, the boys did just the same in the second game of the series in Lake Placid last night. Ryan Bourque added a goal and an assist in the 6-1 effort, and Derek Stepan registered 2 assists. Chris Kreider played in the game, and a took one penalty.

Once again, it is great to see Ranger prospects excelling at such a competitive level that they are. Ryan Bourque continues to turn heads as he recorded yet another goal in the game, giving him two on the tournament, and Derek Stepan is displaying his passing abilities nicely, as he added his second and third assists on the tournament last night in Lake Placid.

GAME SUMMARY
USA 1 - 2 - 3 - 6
RUS 0 - 1 - 0 - 1

Rangers Tribune will be sure to keep you updated as the tournament continues, and if you would like to read more on these games, please visit http://www.usahockey.com/.
(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

RUMOR: Rangers Sign Bouillon and Dubinsky is on the Outs

Here are two rumors that are currently floating around the internet, but neither have been confirmed just yet:

The Rangers have supposedly signed free-agent defenseman, Francis Bouillon for 1 year at $1 million. Bouillon, 33, played in 54 games with the Montreal Canadians last season, and recorded 5 goals and 4 assists in that span. In my opinion, Bouillon would be used as insurance, and I will explain why. Sanguinetti, Gilroy, and Del Zotto will be looked at very closely during camp this September. If two of those players listed do not seem to be quite ready for the NHL level, then they have Bouillon to lean on to fill the spot of a third paring defenseman. Francis is not better, but a similar player to Paul Mara, skill wise anyway. The 5-8 defenseman is very aggressive despite his size, and can be a bit of a spark plug on the back end.

A second rumor that has been spread is coming from the Montreal Media regarding RFA forward, Brandon Dubinsky. I made a post the other day saying that Dubinsky was most likely being used as trade bait, mainly because of the fact that he has not been re-signed by Glen Sather and the Blueshirts just yet. The rumor is not saying where Dubi is going exactly, just that he is going to be moved.

Now I do not know how true these rumors are because the sources are not the most respectable, but the word has been that the Rangers have been on the hunt for Bouillon for three days now.

Stay Tuned.....

USA Junior Team Defeats Russia 8-1

As I reported yesterday, the USA U20 team and the Russian U20 team were facing each other in the first game of an exhibition series last night in Lake Placid. Not only did USA come out on top by a huge score of 8-1, but two Ranger prospects also recorded points in the game. Those prospects were Ryan Bourque, who recorded a goal, and Derek Stepan, who registered an assist. The Rangers 2009 first round pick, Chris Kreider, was apparently a healthy scratch.

As a fan, you hear so many good things about your team's top prospects and how they are developing, but there is no better assurance of how good a player is until they are able to perform in a competitive tournament like this one, alongside some of the country's best young stars. This tournament will be looked upon as a measuring stick for the Rangers Prospects, and so far so good. The Blueshirts third round draft pick in 2009, Ryan Bourque, seems to really be coming along nicely, and better than some suggested. Ryan, without a doubt, has been the best of the Ranger three-some that is currently with the team up in Lake Placid.

Let me remind of the fact that this tournament is labeled as an "evaluation", meaning that it will decide which players will contend in the World Junior tournament this December for team USA. Hopefully all three Ranger prospects will make it, but as of right now, it looks like Ryan Bourque has his name penciled into a roster spot by coaches already.

I will be sure keep you updated as the tournament progresses.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Zherdev to KHL

It has been confirmed now by several sources that free agent, Nikolai Zherdev has elected to leave the NHL and play for Yulaev Salavat of the KHL. This is a matter of Zherdev not getting the money he thought he deserved here in the NHL, so now he will have to settle to play in the KHL.

This move is no big shocker, as I predicted it on this blog once we walked away from Nik.

Also, if you haven't read already, all three Rangers prospects have made it passed the U.S. Cuts. See Below Post

Ranger Prospects Make It Through U.S. Cuts

As I reported a couple weeks ago, three Rangers prospects; Derek Stepan, Ryan Bourque, and Chris Kreider were all invited to participate in the United States Under 20 tournament team Camp. Well, it was announced today that all three of the youngsters survived the 13-player cut, and occupy spots on the 29-player roster.

The squad of 48 players was split into two teams, where a series of scrimmages took place in order for coaches to make judgements and cuts. Stepan, Bourque, and Kreider obviously impressed as they all made it past the cut, but the stand-out player of the scrimmages was Rangers 2009 third-round pick, Ryan Bourque, who recorded a goal and an assist.

The United States U20 Squad will now prepare for a series of games against the Russian u20 team in Lake Placid, which begins Tuesday Night at 6pm.
(Photo courtesy of NHL.com)

Cherepanov Case to be Re-Opened

Earlier today, TSN reported that Russian Investigators have decided to re-open the case concerning the death of Rangers former first round draft pick, Alexei Cherepanov. Cherepanov collapsed on the bench during a KHL game last season, and was pronounced dead soon after.

After Alexei's death, an autopsy showed that the youngster suffered from myocarditis, a condition that obstructs blood flow to the heart and other organs within the body. Once the autopsy was completed, another report informed us that medical experts concluded that Cherepanov was "blood doping" prior to his death in October, but it was later found that the drug Alexei was taking, actually was being applied to improve blood flow through the body, breathing rate, and the nervous system. That suggested Cherpanov was taking the drugs to treat the disease that apparently only he knew that he had.

If you recall, last month it was announced that team doctors from Avangard Omsk were not to blame for the death, and they would not face criminal charges. Well, that did not sit well with some Russian Investigators, who decided to re-open the case today.

So right when it seemed that this case was being put to rest, it is re-opened and the drama will continue. In my mind, I believe that Cherepanov was not the type of person who would be blood doping for fun, as it must have been to treat the disease. Now it will be investigated once again, and maybe this time people other than Cherpanov will be blamed for the tragic death.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)